Along with flies and ants, cockroaches are the most common household insect pests. American, German, Oriental and brown-banded cockroaches are the primary cockroach pest species inhabiting Massachusetts, and the German cockroach is the most frequently encountered species within homes in all areas of the US. German and brown-banded cockroaches are the only two roach species in the country that dwell primarily within homes and buildings, but all of the above named roach species are capable of reproducing indoors.
As a result of living alongside humans for thousands of years, cockroaches are skilled at avoiding humans within heavily infested homes. Cockroaches maintain enclosed indoor harborages in inaccessible areas like wall voids, tight attic spaces and beneath floorboards. During the day, cockroaches remain hidden in these indoor areas, but at night, roaches emerge from their hiding spots in order to gather food sources while humans are sleeping. The most common indoor cockroach food sources include plant materials, leather, glue, hair, wallpaper, fabrics, starch in book-bindings, dead rodents in wall voids, dog food and even stored food in pantries and cupboards. While cockroaches generally remain out of human sight during the daytime hours, homeowners often encounter roaches while rearranging stored foods during the day.
Due to their highly unsanitary nesting and feeding habits, cockroaches contaminate every human food source they come into contact with. Unfortunately, of all the indoor living spaces within infested homes, cockroaches are most abundant in kitchens, and the majority of daytime roach sightings occur there. During the day, cockroaches are most often found feeding on food scraps that have accumulated beneath kitchen appliances and in the insulation within appliances. Other kitchen areas where cockroaches are frequently discovered include under sinks, under or behind water heaters, behind baseboards and moldings, in and behind cupboards, pantries and in cracks and crevices in walls and flooring.
Have you ever found cockroaches in your home during the daytime?